I'm Still Here
by magenwashere
Summary: Dustin knows himself pretty well, which means he knows he's got a lot of growing up to do. He never thought someone you cared about could use you and hurt you so badly that you lost a little bit of yourself. But he's still here. They may be OOC, sorry.


**AN: Dustin and Hunter are my favorite pairing. They might be a OOC, so sorry for that. R+R, and Enjoy! **

_I am a question to the world,  
Not an answer to be heard.  
All a moment that's held in your arms.  
And what do you think you'd ever say?  
I won't listen anyway…  
You don't know me,  
And I'll never be what you want me to be._

Dustin's never really had problems getting along with people. Generally well-liked by his schoolmates, he's never gotten into a fight, or even an argument with any of them. He's been best friends with Shane since they were in diapers, and Tori had joined them when they were eight. The relationship with his parents is pretty good. His mom's cool for a mom, and his sister is the best five year-old on the planet. He loves hanging out with his girls, and is not afraid to admit it. When his dad comes to town, they have a great time on the track. At the Wind Academy, Cam lets him help with some of the technical stuff and doesn't fuss that much. Kelly's known him his whole life, and was his baby-sitter when he was a kid. Now she's his boss.

His circle of friends and family is small, but it works for him. He's not interested in a lot of things, comic books, motor-cross, ninja practice, his friends and family, and his TV shows.

Dustin knows he's too gullible. Too trusting, too nice, whatever. Most people think he's stupid, so they kind of ignore him. That's cool. His friends know better, even though sometimes he has to remind them by doing something epic and smart. They see the error of their ways after that. (he took that line from one of his shows)

He's happy living the mostly normal life of a seventeen year-old motor-cross ninja. He works at Storm Chargers because Kelly and his mom figured it would help him focus and become more responsible. Or something like that.

Being a Power Ranger is pretty awesome too. Shane and Tori were always talking about how important it was for them to be responsible and serious about it, like Dustin doesn't know that. He gets how serious it is, but hello? They're freaking POWER RANGERS! Can't they enjoy it just a little bit?

Apparently not. Fun-suckers.

So, all in all, Dustin knows himself pretty well. He doesn't second guess himself anymore. Or at least, he hadn't.

Then he met Hunter, and everything he thought he knew disappeared.

_And what do you think you'd understand?  
I'm a boy, no, I'm a man.  
You can take me and throw me away.  
And how can you learn what's never shown?  
Yeah, you stand here on your own.  
They don't know me 'cause I'm not here._

When he met Hunter and Blake, he felt watched, like he was being measured. Blake seemed cool enough, but Hunter seemed…well, he wouldn't stop staring at Dustin. He gaze Dustin long, slow once-over's with hooded eyes and a smirk. It was weird. That's how Shane looked at girls he thought were hot. Dustin racked his brain later, alone in his bedroom, trying to remember if _he _had ever looked at anyone that way. Sure, he'd seen girls he thought were pretty, and guys he thought were good-looking. But what made someone look at another person like they were a really nice cheese burger with a side of fries?

And what made someone look at _him _like that?

In typical Dustin fashion, he forgot about it. Why worry about something that might not even be true? So he didn't. He went riding with Hunter and Blake, admiring their style, and getting awesome advice. He learned a bit about them too. Blake was the level headed, easy going one. He didn't cause waves, just went with the flow. Hunter, on the other hand, was the cause of the waves. Brash and temperamental, he was the exact opposite of his brother. (Dustin swore up and down that when Hunter got mad, his eyes would glow red with evil…) Hunter Bradley was one of the cool guys; the kind that made guys like Dustin awestruck and guys like Shane jealous. Which, at first, he thought Shane was just jealous because Dustin finally had other friends. But of course, Dustin put his trust in people who didn't deserve to be trusted.

Of course, if he'd known that before he let Hunter kiss him (among other things), maybe it wouldn't have hurt so much afterwards.

**_Flashback _**

It happened after they had a practice race, just he and Hunter. Blake had something to else do or something like that. Hunter had won, of course, but Dustin wasn't upset. Hunter was the better racer, so duh. He'd been loading his bike onto the trailer he'd hitched to Tori's van (after loads of begging) and taking off his gear, when he felt someone coming up behind him. He knew it was Hunter, because really, a kelzak wouldn't slide up behind him, or put his hands on his hips.

"Dude, what are you doing?" To be honest, he didn't exactly hate it, because Hunter was hot, but the guy made him nervous. Hunter didn't say anything, just slid closer so they were pressed together, back to front.

"Man, I don't mean to be slow, but I really don't get what's going on, so if you could maybe-" Hunter whirled him around and crushed their lips together. Thrusting his tongue into Dustin's mouth, hands reaching to touch him in places that hadn't been touched before, he made Dustin's mind go blank. For the first time in his entire life, his mind was completely blank. The only thing he could do was focus on feeling…hands running over his stomach and chest, over his hips and to other unmentionable places. His own hands tangled in blond hair, hearing weird sounds coming from his own self. Strange, that's what the entire experience was. Strangely awesome.

Then Hunter was pulling away and smiled when Dustin's face followed his. Dustin's face was flushed, his lips were swollen and he looked entirely corruptible. Hunter grinned at the thought, and pressed another quick kiss to Dustin's lips.

"Hunter…" Dustin practically whimpered out his name, and Hunter just shook his head, and pressed Dustin back so they lay on the seat cushions of the van.

What went on from then will stay between Hunter, Dustin, and Tori's van.

**_End Flashback _**

And when Dustin found out the truth about Hunter's (and Blake's) evil plans, he knew everything was lie. Every kiss, every touch, every smile, it was all a lie. It made him feel so _stupid, _so _easy_. He'd been used like an unimportant, useless and stupid leftover gift that no one wanted, so you gave it someone you didn't like. He hated it.

At least at here, in the back room of Storm Chargers, he could forget about it. He could lose himself in the bike, fixing it, making it better, so he knew he wasn't completely useless. Then the quiet was interrupted.

"Dustin, can I talk to you for a second?" Dustin turned to find Hunter standing awkwardly in the doorway. Dustin was closing up tonight, and Kelly had just left, so she must have let Hunter in.

The traitor.

"Whatever. I'm closing up soon, so make it quick." Dustin knew his voice was way harsher than it usually was, but he didn't care. People who messed with his friends because they were evil and worked for Lothor got booted off his 'good guys' list, and onto the 'bad guys' list. (Also known as the 'dickheads who screw me over and kiss me to get on my good side because they only want to hurt/kill me and my friends' list. Hunter, thankfully, was the only one on it.)

"Dustin, man…I'm sorry. If I'd known the truth, I wouldn't have-" Dustin cut him off.

"You wouldn't have what? Kissed me? Touched me? Done things to me, made me feel things that I don't understand?" Dustin sucked in a breath and ran his hands through his hair. "Was it because of Lothor, and 'the plan'? Was I some way to get into Ninja Ops, and kill us? Or just some sick way to get a little something on the side while you did your dastardly deeds? What-" he stopped, not knowing what else to say.

"Dustin…I wasn't with you because of Lothor's plan. I didn't kiss you because I thought you were easy. I kissed you because I wanted to, and it wasn't because I wanted something on the side, either. Jesus Dustin, do you really think that low of me?" Hunter's voice rose so he was yelling and he looked frustrated. And he looked _hurt. _The jackass had the nerve to be _hurt, _when he was the one who'd been used; _he _was the one who'd been lied to.

"I don't know you!" Dustin could feel himself tearing up, and angrily rubbed his eyes, hoping they would go away. Hunter tried to move closer.

"Dustin, baby-"

"Don't' call me that!" Dustin moved away from Hunter, and practically ran to the opposite side of the room, so the table was between them.

"Shut up, Hunter. _Just shut up_. You don't care how you've made me feel, you don't care how you've changed _everything, _and you don't care that nothing is going to be the same ever again. Nothing. You have messed me up so bad, I don't even trust myself! So don't pretend you're the hurt one, and don't pretend to care, because I know better now."

"Dustin! I didn't mean to hurt you! I didn't…I didn't think I'd care about you so much, but I _do_. I do care." Hunter looked defeated. Dustin ignored it.

"That's not true. And even if it was, it wouldn't matter." Dustin sighed again, rubbing a hand over his face. God, he was tired. "It _doesn't _matter. It's too late."

"Don't say that, Dustin. Please don't say that." Hunter seemed to plead. "It's not too late."

"Yes it is. You don't care, and I care too much."

Hunter shook his head determinedly, and ninja streaked across the room, crashing their lips together. He kissed Dustin like he was never going to kiss him again, and maybe he wouldn't. Dustin could feel himself getting pulled in again, and decided to let it happen for just a little bit. This could be the last time Hunter would hold him like this, and he wanted it to count.

Then Hunter pulled away. His big hands cupped Dustin's face, cradled it.

"Me and Blake, we're going away for a while. Got to figure some things out, what we're gonna do next, where we gonna live. Stuff like that. And I-" He stopped, brushing his thumb across Dustin's lower lip. "I don't know how long I'll be gone, maybe a few weeks, but I'll be back. I'll be back, and I…I want to come back to you."

"What, you want me to wait for you?" Dustin asked softly, not entirely sure this was real.

"Yeah. If you want to, I mean, you don't have to. But…I want you to. I want to be with you, Dustin. You and me together, including the whole evil space ninjas attacking us, the Power Ranger gig, and our friends. I want to be with you. Nothing else matters." Hunter sighed, and kissed Dustin's forehead.

"I-" Dustin stammered, trying to make sense of it all. "I…I'll wait, Hunter." Hunter's face lit up, but he didn't smile. Or, he tried not to smile. "I'll wait. When you come back, I'll still be here. Just not forever." Hunter nodded, kissing Dustin one more time.

Then he left Storm Chargers and Dustin behind.

And when Hunter called, a week later, sounding hesitant and nervous, Dustin simply said, "I'm still here."

_And I want a moment to be real,  
Wanna touch things I don't feel,  
Wanna hold on and feel I belong.  
And how can the world want me to change,  
They're the ones that stay the same.  
The don't know me,  
But I'm still here._


End file.
